Lisbon African Diaspora History

The Chafariz d'El-Rei is a historic public fountain easily recognized by its stone façade tucked near the Alfama district. Records of this site date back to at least twelve twenty, when it began supplying water to the city from an aquifer…

Cais das Colunas is a riverside landing defined by two tall, solitary marble columns that rise from the water's edge at the Praça do Comércio. These columns flank a grand set of marble steps that descend directly into the Tagus River,…

Praça do Comércio is a vast, U-shaped plaza defined by rows of ochre-colored buildings and arcades that open directly onto the Tagus River. Known locally as Terreiro do Paço, or Palace Yard, it stands on the ground where the Ribeira Palace…

Praça Dom Pedro IV is identifiable by the black-and-white wave-patterned cobblestone pavement that stretches across its surface. Known to locals simply as Rossio, which translates to common land, this square has served as the central…

The Church of Saint Dominic is defined by the heavy, scorched scarring that covers its interior pillars and walls, a visual result of a devastating fire in nineteen fifty-nine that gutted the building. While the church dates back to…

Cantinho do Aziz sits within the narrow, winding streets of the Mouraria neighborhood, occupying a space that has served Mozambican cuisine for more than thirty-five years. The building is part of the dense, medieval maze that stretches…

Largo da Severa is a small square marked by a stylized guitar icon embedded in the pavement, identifying it as a heart of the Mouraria district. This square is named for Maria Severa Onofriana, who lived and performed in the taverns here…

Rua do Benformoso is a narrow, winding street that functions as a corridor between the neighborhoods of Martim Moniz and Intendente. Its history dates back to at least the fourteenth century, when it was known as the Rua de Benfica, later…